Spotlight On: Gluten and NCGS Gene Test

How do you test for coeliac genes and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) properly?! I am pretty much the only person in the UK who does this unique full gluten gene test that looks for the usual coeliac genes (DQ2 and DQ8) but also the non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) ones (DQ1 and DQ3). It was me who first introduced it into the UK back in 2008 – I thank you! It’s the one done by Dr Peter Osborne at the Gluten Free Society in the US via Labcorp.

People are always asking me how to test if they are no longer eating gluten and this gene test is my answer. So, here’s some info on it for you…

If you’ve given up gluten already…

I do NOT recommend reintroducing gluten for testing – and neither do most of the experts I speak to – because of the potential for causing more damage.

Instead, use the Gluten Gene Test.  It is a simple cheek swab and the only test that measures for all known genes linked to gluten sensitivity (HLA-DQ1/HLA-DQ3) and coeliac disease (HLA-DQ2/HLA-DQ8). Other labs only measure for genes linked to coeliac disease, which is why many people are sadly misdiagnosed.

The pattern of the genes found in the results help us work out your risk of coeliac disease or if it is more likely to be NCGS (non coeliac gluten sensitivity). When I did it, for example, I had a double DQ1 and a single DQ8. If these genes are triggered (which mine have been), then you are likely to develop a gluten illness. In my case the DQ1 is more likely to be skin issues (inc leaky gut and therefore explains a lot of my food sensitivity!!) related to NCGS, but I have a low risk of coeliac disease. NCGS can be every bit as serious as coeliac disease, by the way, so don’t get lulled into a false sense of security! Check my TrulyGlutenFree section on the website for more on this.

You can see a sample report for the gluten gene test here. The report gives you a good idea of what’s going on, but I explain the result when I email it to you. The different DQs relate to different conditions and you can find that and loads more about gluten testing and treatment in the Gluten Plan if yours comes up positive. 

Here’s Dr Osborne’s video explaining more about the test – he looks a bit scary (!) and I don’t always agree with everything he says generally, but he does know his stuff in the field of gluten illness!

And he explains a lot more about it here.

So, you can order it via me here if you are not US-based. Once ordered, I will post the kit out to you (inc in cost). You then pay to return your samples in a standard envelope to the US, containing the cheek swabs and requisition forms. The swabs are viable for a long time so there is no need to send them back with priority mail.

OK, hope that is useful for you or someone you know. As Dr O says: gluten is no joke and I have found this test really helpful with a lot of people who stopped eating gluten but wanted to know/explain to docs, family etc why they feel better off it – do they have the right gene pattern for coeliac disease or NCGS – it’s often a relief to find out you’re not wrong that you feel better off it!

Of course, you can do this test if you are eating gluten still too – it doesn’t matter what you are eating. But, in that case, I might also be tempted to look at Cyrex 3x, which will help you pick up any transglutaminase damage – and again not just the traditional coeliac related one – but several others. In other words, are you genetically susceptible and have they been triggered and are causing you immunological problems and damage?

You can order Cyrex tests here: https://purehealthshop.company.site/Cyrex-and-Gluten-Tests-p48202816

Retiring, but loads of help still here!

I have now retired from Purehealth, but I have left my site, books, newsletters etc all up so that you can still access all this lovely info from the last 30 years! I won’t be updating it now, but there is a LOT of really good info here still. Check My Favourites page for where to find info, supplements, tests, practitioners, courses and more. Anything I think could help. And Start Here if you’re not sure where to start with your symptom or condition.

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Bless your cotton socks from me. Thanks for all your love, support and fun over the past 30-odd years. I will miss you, Micki x